The closer Cynthia McKinney and Hank Johnson get to Tuesday’s runoff, the nastier the race seems to be getting.

At a community forum Thursday night in North DeKalb, the two candidates for the Fourth Congressional District again traded barbs in their efforts to secure crucial votes.

And for one of the first times publicly, Johnson took off the gloves. After McKinney accused him of being under the thumb of Republicans because of the money he has gotten from GOP-leaning donors, he struck back.

“I can accuse her of being under the control of terrorists, but I won’t” Johnson said, because of the money that her campaign has gotten from Muslim interests.

On the current crisis in the Middle East McKinney said that the U.S. must be an “honest broker.” She said that the United States shouldn’t be giving support and arms to Israel to fight against Lebanon, and their fighters who are “throwing rocks.”

“We have to deal fairly with all countries. We have to deal with Palestinians, Israelis, Arabs, Muslims and Jews equally,” said McKinney, who called for a cease-fire. “All religious and ethnic groups have to be respected equally.”

Johnson, who has received major support from Jewish groups and donors, said that Israel has the right to exist and to protect itself.

“They are doing more than throwing stones,” Johnson said specifically of Hezbollah, which is fighting out of Lebanon. “They are hurling missiles.”

Heck, for that response alone I’d vote for Johnson. The runoff is next Tuesday.